The draw of these buds is the cool gold knob on the outside, the bit that broadcasts your musician’s savvy. The cord is made of a fabric that’s pleasant to the touch, resistant to tangling, and evocative of a guitar cable. The headphone jack has gold accents over its textured, easy-to-grip handle, which makes inserting it feel like you’re getting ready to shred on a tiny Stratocaster.

Aesthetics aside, these buds don’t bring much to the table. The sound quality is average, even hollow in many places where you’d expect more bass. Worse, the fit is less than ideal — they jiggle loose with even slight movement. The Minors use “EarClick,” a patented fit method where a small, exchangeable knob on the top of the bud braces inside your ear. Even after putting in the time to ensure a correct fit, the buds are prone to spilling out with a quick turn of the head.